Marlins opt to delay Mujica's return a day or two

MIAMI -- Edward Mujica may be a fast healer, but the Marlins want the right-hander to wait at least another day or two before activating him from the disabled list.

The Marlins right-hander sustained a fractured right pinky toe on June 29, and the team initially planned on reinstating him on Sunday, his first day eligible to rejoin the team.

Before the Marlins beat the Nationals, 2-1, on Saturday night, manager Ozzie Guillen said: "Right now, we have to make a tough decision, with the front office, with our pitching coach [Randy St. Claire], and figure out what we need the most for the next series to come. We're going to figure out their lineups, and go from there."

But after beating Washington, Guillen said Mujica will throw in another rehab-assignment game at Class A Jupiter on Sunday.

The Marlins recalled lefty Wade LeBlanc when Mujica was placed on the disabled list.

Mujica was injured on a comeback shot off the bat of Philadelphia's Placido Polanco. Recently, he was cleared to see game action, and he threw one inning for Jupiter on Friday.

"It feels good," Mujica said. "I didn't have any plays where I had to run to first, but I ran to the mound, and it felt good."

In 35 games with the Marlins, Mujica is 0-3 with a 4.46 ERA. He's been used mostly in the eighth inning, and he has two saves.

Recent history shows Marlins certainly still in it

MIAMI -- All big league clubs can thank the 2007 Rockies and the 2011 Cardinals for offering hope that may not actually be there.

Marlins president of baseball operations Larry Beinfest referred to it as the "Rockie-Cardinal Effect."

Those two squads overcame seemingly long odds to not only win the National League Wild Card, but eventually advance to the World Series.

The Marlins certainly have an uphill climb to get into contention, but the organization is staying the course, seeing if the team can make up ground in a hurry.

"Teams have so much invested, and they want to have their fanbase to have hope," Beinfest said. "Sure enough, the Cardinals were [8 1/2] games out of the Wild Card last year, and they win it all.

"The Rockies thing is well documented."

After losing, 5-1, to the Nationals on Friday night, the Marlins fell to seven off the Wild Card pace.

But in 2011, the Cardinals were 8 1/2 games back in the Wild Card chase on Sept. 1.

Of course, St. Louis went on to win it all.

The 2007 Rockies were behind by 6 1/2 games on Sept. 1. They had a string of winning 21 of 22 in September, and made it to the World Series, where they were swept by the Red Sox.

With the July 31 non-waiver Trade Deadline approaching, the Marlins appear to be willing to let the season play out.

"It seems to be a trend in the game: Forget about the second Wild Card, that teams are hanging in there a little longer, and waiting for their teams to get hot," Beinfest said. "Unless they really have conviction that, 'Hey, it's not our year, we need to move some pieces.'"

The Marlins feel they have the talent to contend. It's just a matter of doing it.

"We'd like to think that we have the pieces here, although it hasn't happened so far," Beinfest said. "We have a bunch of guys who are well below their career averages. Which you can say, 'OK, there is plenty of room for improvement.' But every day we keep waiting for that to happen."

LoMo, Marlins shave heads for charity

MIAMI -- Marlins players and employees reached out for a good cause on Saturday afternoon.

To support the "Bald, Brave, Beautiful Project" at Miami Children's Hospital, the Marlins offered the gift of hair.

Team president David Samson, left fielder Logan Morrison and a number of his teammates, and front-office personnel had their hair cut outside Marlins Park before the team faced the Nationals on Saturday night.

"Logan and I were talking about this," Samson said. "We were talking about all the kids in Miami Children's Hospital who don't have a choice to wear their hair like this. We all have a choice, and we're lucky.

"We decided to show some unity and raise some money. Any time you can raise some money, we'll do anything."

Morrison lost his father, Tom, to cancer in 2010, and he remains active raising awareness for those less fortunate.

"I think any time you can do something as small as this to help kids out, who are going through what they're going through, it's the least we can do," Morrison said.

A number of players, including Justin Ruggiano, Heath Bell, Steve Cishek, Chad Gaudin, Greg Dobbs and Scott Cousins, had their hair cut right on the West Plaza outside the ballpark.

Hitting coach Eduardo Perez also took part.

"So many people are doing this," Samson said. "So many front-office people and players, and there are some 50, 60 kids here who are saying, 'Wow, you really care about us this much, to not just raise money but to look like we look.' So it was an easy decision to do."

Worth noting

 Reliever Juan Carlos Oviedo on Saturday was promoted to Triple-A New Orleans after the right-hander pitched in two games at Class A Jupiter. The advancement was expected at some point, as the Marlins want Oviedo to face more experienced hitters before he is eligible to be activated on July 23. Oviedo threw 2 2/3 innings for the Hammerheads. The right-hander, formerly Leo Nunez, is winding down his eight-week suspension for playing with a false identity.

 The Zephyrs on Saturday also added catcher Humberto Quintero, who was released by the Royals last week.

 Logan Morrison didn't start on Saturday because the Nationals started left-hander Gio Gonzalez. Donovan Solano started in left field, and Morrison likely will be back in the lineup on Sunday when Washington goes with righty Stephan Strasburg.

 Former Marlins pitcher Javier Vazquez was a guest of the club on Saturday, spending time with the team pregame. Vazquez maintains he isn't interested in pitching again in the big leagues. But he is considering pitching for Puerto Rico in the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Puerto Rico will be managed by former Marlins manager Edwin Rodriguez. Joe Espada, Miami's third-base coach, will be the third-base coach for the Puerto Rican WBC team. Carlos Delgado, who played for the Marlins in 2005, will be the hitting coach on Rodriguez's staff.

Joe Frisaro is a reporter for MLB.com. He writes a blog, called The Fish Pond. Follow him on Twitter @JoeFrisaro. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.